5. Alright

DANTE

He thought he was doing better; but, every year, this day would come and plunge him into deep sadness again. That sadness fueled anger and anybody that was not his son faced his wrath, either justly or unjustly. It was for that reason he had created a tradition to spend this day alone with his son every year. Nobody was to be around them.

As he watched his sleeping son, he did his best to think of an answer to the question the kid had persisted with before falling asleep.

"Will I ever get a new mommy?" The boy had kept asking.

Dante had dodged it by forcing the boy to gulp a glass of water and making him go to sleep. But he knew that once the boy woke up, he would be faced with the question again.

The first time the boy had asked that question, he had fallen down the stairs before he could even get an answer. Now, Dante was not sure how he was going to dodge it this time. Soon enough, the boy began to stir on the bed, a sign that he was about to wake up. Dante held his breath, racking his brain for an answer. Knowing his son, he knew that it was quite possible for that question to be the kid's first utterance once he opened his eyes. But to his surprise, the question he was faced with was not about that of a new mother.

"Where is Jenny?" the boy had asked him as soon as their eyes met.

While Dante was quite relieved at the simplicity of the inquiry, it troubled him a little bit how much that nurse had grown on his son. How come she was the first thing on his mind on this day? Did he not recall that it was the day to remember his mother?

"Today is your mother's death anniversary." He reminded the boy. "We are honouring her our usual way."

"So Jenny will not be here?" It sounded as though that was what was more important to the child at that moment.

Dante sighed. "No." He thought it wise to not mention that she had shown up and he had asked her to leave. "She will be back tomorrow."

He was not sure about his last statement. She had fled like someone that did not ever want to return. He still hoped that she would come back, at least, for the sake of his son.

"I miss her already." Elon confessed, and it was then it struck Dante how the nurse had successfully built a place for herself in his son's heart. Evelyn had died three years ago and the boy had never told him that he missed his mother, but he already missed a nurse after a few hours? If he did not know better, he would have concluded that the woman had cast a spell on his son.

His phone chimed and he was pulled out of his thoughts. When he looked at his screen, a frown marred his face; his ex father-in-law was calling. He already knew the purpose of the call: the old man was going to invite him to dinner, and like every other year, he was going to give an excuse as to why he could not attend. There was no way he was going to sit and eat with that family again.

He picked the call and started with a simple, "hello?"

"Ah, Dante! It is good to hear from you." The man's weak voice was laced with pleasure.

Dante remained mute, and when the man realized that he was not going to get any response, he continued. "To remember Evelyn, we're having dinner toge—"

"We cannot make it." Dante did not even let the man land. "Elon is sick." It was not like he was even lying. In fact, it was a valid excuse as far as he was concerned.

"Wh— what's wrong with my boy?" The man sounded worried now. "Is it a fever? Or a cold? Have you taken him to the hospital? Is he—"

"He will be fine." Dante cut the man off again, anger was brewing inside of him. "I have not put him in the way of any danger."

Silence ensued between the two, they both knew what that meant. Dante smirked, he felt great satisfaction from the guilt he was sure the old man was feeling. It was that man's fault that he had lost his Evelyn all because of a useless mafia rivalry. Those moments at Mexico began to flash in his mind and he just had to end the call, not caring what more the ex mafia had to say.

The man had quit and moved to the United States after his daughter died, but what difference did that make? That was not going to bring Evelyn back, was it? She was already gone and no matter how much he changed, Evelyn was not going to come back to life.

Dante squeezed his eyes shut, trying to tame the gory memories spiralling in his head. He regretted it so deeply, ever visiting Mexico with his family. If he had not, maybe, just maybe, his Evelyn would have still been by his side. She would have still been here to take care of their son together with him.

It was until little, soft hands caressed his that he remembered that he was still in his son's presence. He opened his eyes and met his son's own, dark brown like his mother's.

"We are alright." The boy told him. Not 'we will be' but 'we are.' It felt like a manifestation, like a decree. He was not sure where the boy found his comfort from, but he was glad that the kid was being positive through it all.

Dante nodded, pecked his son's forehead, and mumbled to himself, "we are alright." He also wanted to believe that, but he was sure that he could never truly be alright without her.